What Will a Vehicle History Report Tell Me?

Drivers in College Place and Kennewick know that buying a pre-owned car can be a bit stressful. At Walla Walla Valley Honda, we understand this, and we want to take the stress and guesswork out of purchasing a pre-owned vehicle by providing vehicle history reports, so that there’s no more wondering about the vehicle’s past. But what will a vehicle history report tell you?

But what exactly will a vehicle history report tell you that will be beneficial to your decision making process? Short answer: a lot. Since vehicle reports like AutoCheck use data from reputable sources like Experian, you can use the report to find a wealth of information about a car’s history. By compiling information from numerous agencies and departments, vehicle history reports are essential to the used car buying process.

But you still might be asking: “What will a vehicle history report tell me?” Keep reading to get a peek at what information is provided by various agencies.

State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)

• The kind of title that the car has clean, salvage, flood damage, hail damage, fire damage, etc.
• Odometer rollbacks
• Number of owners
• Damage and accident reports
• Lien information and ownership transfers

Salvage Auctions

• Can tell you if the car is salvaged, but was not titled as such by the DMV

Collision Repair Shops

• Collision repair history
• Structural or frame damage

Service and Maintenance Facilities

• Service, maintenance, and repairs performed, along with the date and location they were performed at
• Odometer readings

Insurance Companies

• Stolen vehicles
• Total loss and reason for the loss

Manufacturers

• Open recalls
• Courtesy buybacks
• Certified pre-owned vehicles

Law Enforcement Agencies

• Stolen vehicle records and theft recovery

Import and Export Companies

• Vehicle transfers and the locations to/from

Vehicle Inspection and State Inspection Stations

• Location of inspection site
• Emissions records
• Safety inspection factors

Know What a Vehicle History Report Will Tell You

That’s a good overview, but are you still wondering, “What will a vehicle history report tell me?” Kennewick drivers can ask all of their used car questions — and browse a large selection of used cars that come standard with AutoCheck vehicle history reports — at Walla Walla Valley Honda at 1240 SE Commercial Drive in College Place, WA or call us at 509-593-4643.